The reason that the United States has one of the highest rates for neo-natal death is that the standards are set so high compared to other countries. Any baby born after 23 weeks or taking spontaneous respirations is consider a live birth in the United States. In places like Austria a live birth is after 28 weeks of gestation. We are very advance in fertility treatment that leads to a lot of multiple births. Mid-wives do not take on these high risk cases. The doctors in the hospital end up having to delivery babies with no prenatal care, high risk, multiple births, premature 23-24 weeks, and mother's on drugs during their pregnancies. Of course, there is going to be a higher rate of death and complications. I'm sure doctors would love the break of getting delivery all full term healthy babies. If you have a baby at home full term with no complications during your pregnancy you probably will be fine, but you can't guarantee that. So, when you ask who needs doctors you can't be serious. Do you have any family members that have given birth prematurely or with complications at home? You can go to Wikipedia on line and research all of this. All the statics and facts are right there. I suppose people don't understand this until they see a 24 week old baby on high frequency oscillator fighting for their life in the NICU.